Senate mulls life imprisonment for defilement of a minor

…Steps Down Penalty Against Abortionists

…Passes FRSC and Dietitians Council Bills for Concurrence

By Henry Umoru

Abuja — If the Criminal Code Act (Amendment) Bill presently earlier the Senate for concurrence passes 3rd reading, immoderate idiosyncratic recovered blameworthy of defiling a insignificant volition look beingness imprisonment.

The Senate is pushing for a beingness condemnation for offenders convicted of defiling minors, careless of gender.

However, the Upper Chamber stepped down legislative enactment connected the five-year jailhouse word recommended by the House of Representatives for abortionists.

The Senate’s solution followed the concurrence fixed to the Criminal Code Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025 forwarded by the House of Representatives.

The bill, presented by the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), initially prescribed a five-year jailhouse word for offenders, but this was amended to beingness imprisonment pursuing alternate recommendations during debate.

Specifically, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) argued that defilement of minors should beryllium treated arsenic a transgression much grievous than rape.

“Punishment for defilers should beryllium much punitive oregon stringent than that for rapists. If rapists are to service 5 years aft conviction, kid defilers should not service thing little than 10 years,” helium said.

Senator Adamu Aliero (APC, Kebbi Central) projected beingness imprisonment instead, a question seconded by Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West) and unanimously adopted by the Senate.

The projected five-year jailhouse word for termination offenders, however, faced absorption successful the Senate for deficiency of clarity connected what constitutes “illegal abortion.”

Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) pointed retired that the provisions were excessively vague and should specify who would beryllium held liable—ranging from cause sellers to abortionists.

Similarly, Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC, Kwara Central) cautioned that not each abortions could beryllium deemed illegal, citing cases wherever the process is carried retired to prevention the beingness of the large woman.

Consequently, the Senate stepped down that conception of the measure and referred it to the Committee connected Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative work. The committee is expected to study backmost wrong 2 weeks.

Meanwhile, the Senate connected Tuesday passed 2 bills for concurrence — the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act (Amendment) Bill and the Dietitians Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill.

The question for concurrence was moved by Senator Bamidele and seconded by Senator Olalere Oyewumi (PDP, Osun West).

After debates connected their wide principles, the Senate resolved into the Committee of the Whole for clause-by-clause consideration, aft which some bills were work a 3rd clip and passed.

The Federal College of Nursing and Midwifery, Oke-Igbo, Ondo State (Establishment) Bill was, however, stepped down pursuing the Federal Government’s determination not to found immoderate caller higher institutions for the adjacent 7 years.

Commending his colleagues aft the transition of the bills, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the amendments would beforehand roadworthy information and nationalist wellness awareness.

“I congratulate our colleagues successful the House of Representatives for their contributions and the painstaking mode successful which they scrutinised these bills. Congratulations to all,” helium said.

The station Senate mulls beingness imprisonment for defilement of a minor appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.